Fans eager to immerse themselves in the world of Arrakis will soon have a new way to experience it. Dune: Awakening is set to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on September 22, bringing with it a fully realized single-player mode. The game, which first released on PC in the summer of last year as a multiplayer open-world survival experience, is now poised to offer a tailored adventure for solo players.
A New Path on Arrakis
The single-player experience in Dune: Awakening offers extensive customization. Players can select from preset difficulty modes or manually adjust parameters such as harvesting, combat, and survival to craft their ideal journey. Developer Funcom has described the upcoming console release as "the best version of Dune: Awakening yet." This comes after the game's multiplayer mode saw limited engagement with player-versus-player combat, with only approximately 20% of players participating in such encounters.
Despite the divergence in gameplay focus, the narrative progression in the single-player mode mirrors that of its multiplayer counterpart. The September 22 update will also introduce new story content. The game's story is set in the year 10,199 AG, approximately eight years after the events of the first Dune film. A significant departure from the films occurs with the role of Lady Jessica, who, in the game's timeline, bears a daughter rather than the son, Paul Atreides, as depicted in the cinematic universe. This change means Paul Atreides does not exist in the game's narrative.
The addition of a dedicated single-player experience allows players to explore every facet of the game's map at their own pace. This unhurried exploration is encouraged by Funcom's collaboration with Greig Fraser, the Oscar-winning cinematographer for the Dune films. Fraser's involvement helped ensure the accurate and immersive recreation of the planet Arrakis, utilizing official assets and concept art to bring the desert world to life.